


Brothers

by billyshears



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Fix-It of Sorts, Fluff, Gen, Pre-Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens), aziraphale and gabriel acting fraternal, kind of?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-03-19
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:21:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23215423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/billyshears/pseuds/billyshears
Summary: "Aziraphale didn’t remember falling asleep, but this had to be a dream.“Why are you here?”“I just thought I could stop by. See by myself what’s so good about earth. Check on you…” Gabriel’s tone was very… Un-Gabriel-like. Quiet, cautious. Sad “We were created as brothers, weren’t we?”"After the failed armaggedon and punishment, Gabriel shows up at the bookshop
Relationships: Aziraphale & Gabriel (Good Omens)
Comments: 15
Kudos: 35





	Brothers

He had to be dreaming.

Aziraphale didn't sleep, but he assumed this was what nightmares are like: something so out of question of his conscious mind that he cannot conciliate with reality.

“Aziraphale, there you are!”

Gabriel was standing in the middle of the empty bookshop – hadn’t there been customers only a moment ago? –, his smile as impeccable and shiny as his suit.

He couldn’t believe it, there was no way; but way or not, he _had_ to do something.

He slowly walked towards the phone. He could, maybe, distract Gabriel enough to call Crowley... No, on a second thought, that wasn’t a good idea. Sure, he wanted his friend here with him, but what would Crowley even do? It would only put him in danger.

“Come on, Aziraphale, why do you look so scared? It’s just me!” Gabriel asked, all smiles.

“Maybe because you wanted me dead last time we met”

At that, Gabriel façade broke down. His smile faltered and died, his expression turned into a pained one, all under Aziraphale's astounded gaze.

“Are you really that surprised?”

“I kind of… hoped you wouldn’t bring it up, I guess” Gabriel replied, attempting to bring the charismatic smile back and failing, a strained pull of his lips was everything he could muster.

Aziraphale blinked. He didn’t remember falling asleep, but this _had_ to be a dream. There was no way Gabriel was here, openly admitting he expected to pretend like nothing happened.

“Why are you here?” He asked, doing his best to sound intimidating.

“I just thought I could stop by. See by myself what’s so _good_ about earth. Check on you…” Gabriel’s tone was very… Un-Gabriel-like. Quiet, cautious. Sad “We were created as brothers, weren’t we?”

Aziraphale tried, but couldn’t find it in himself to deny him.

He took him to a few churches, knowing that Gabriel would be charmed at the various depictions of himself in color-tinted glasses; and then to a natural history museum where they laughed at the dinosaur bones.

They didn’t do much talking that day, after all, Aziraphale did not completely trust Gabriel’s intentions were as he said.

* * *

He wasn’t all that surprised when Gabriel showed up again, almost a month later and demanding to be included in “human culture and activities”; but he was wary. What would Crowley say if he found out they were meeting up? The thought made him feel guilty.

This time he started by showing Gabriel some of his favorite books. Gabriel picked one up and inspected it, turning it this way and the other.

“You can open it” Aziraphale suggested softly after a few minutes, and Gabriel’s smile strained. “It’s Shakespeare, one of the best authors you could read” He elaborated, noting how the archangel was growing uncomfortable, but not sure why.

“Hm? Oh, yeah, of course, I mean, I’ve heard of him…”

Gabriel seemed to be stalling, and then it clicked.

“You can’t read English”

The mortified expression on his face was priceless, and Aziraphale had to bite back his chuckles.

“I can read it for you”

“No, no, that’s- that’s not it, I mean, there’s no need for that, really-“ Tense, with his pride hurt, Gabriel tried to backpedal.

Aziraphale laughed out loud, then; a light-hearted, singing laughter, and Gabriel eventually relaxed.

**********

“Six thousand years… I guess I did not realize how much it was to be apart”

Together, they had read Shakespeare, and then Wilde, and Aziraphale was more than happy to keep going but Gabriel suggested going for a walk instead. They ended up sitting down on a park bench, watching the light of the day fade into a warm orange.

“Time does runs differently, in here and up there” Aziraphale agreed softly.

They fell into silence.

Aziraphale knew it would be foolish to completely trust in Gabriel. But when he glanced at him, he caught his meditative frown, his hands clasping at each other on his lap, the sadness clear as day in his eyes… Gabriel appeared utterly vulnerable.

Maybe he was a fool.

He took another look at the archangel, and focused on his hands. There wasn’t a rule prohibiting touching in Heaven, but it wasn’t popular either. Physical gestures were for humans, that was the common conception between angels. But since the current situation was already as bizarre as they came, he reasoned, a small touch couldn’t hurt. With that in mind, he reached out and took one of Gabriel’s hand in his.

Gabriel let out a gasp and went still for a second. When he moved, it was to entwine his fingers with Aziraphale’s.

They smiled softly, in silence; until a bike passed by and out loud called a word that made Aziraphale twitch his nose in disapproval.

“Did they yell at us? What was that?” Gabriel looked genuinely confused. Aziraphale turned to him, with a resigned smile.

“You’d learn that humans have the weirdest concepts of affection and gender”

Gabriel nodded slowly, considering his words, and then frowned in confusion.

“I’m sorry, what _is_ gender?”

Aziraphale just patted the hand he was holding.

“Let’s leave that for another time. You’ve had enough humanity for today, I’d say”

* * *

“That moment, when you spit hellfire at us… Once I stopped being scared, everything I could think about was “ _well, had that reached me, maybe I did deserve it after all”,_ and I didn’t understand that feeling at all. Until I realized, it was guilt” Gabriel paused, swallowing, averting his eyes from Aziraphale.

Aziraphale looked in shock.

In the backroom of his bookshop, he had finally talked Gabriel into trying tea. Whether the archangel actually swallowed it, or just pretended to, it was a completely different matter; but it led to a calm conversation, which grew deeper as the hours passed. And now Aziraphale was frantic.

“Oh no- I didn’t- I’m so sorry! Crowley did mention messing with you guys, but I never thought-“ Aziraphale tried to apologize, and stopped when his brain caught up with what he had let out.

But it was late, because Gabriel was now staring at him, and he could practically hear the gears in his brain as he put the pieces together.

“Aziraphale. What was that?”

“I-I was apologizing! Because I uh, shouldn’t have done that!” He tried to save face, hoping against hope that Gabriel would forget what he just said, his anxiety showing through in his distraught hand movements and his voice going higher.

Gabriel stared at him blankly.

“You mentioned Crowley. Why would you talk about him? He _“messed with us”_? What does that mean, Aziraphale?”

For the first time in his long existence, Aziraphale found himself wishing Gabriel hadn’t pay attention to him.

He swallowed, desperate. There was just one thought in his mind, now.

“Don’t punish Crowley. Please!” If he hadn’t known it would be considered blasphemous, he would have kneeled in front of Gabriel to beg.

The archangel took a deep breath, and pinched his nose.

“Aziraphale, I’m trying to… I’m _doing my best effort here_ , trying to understand just what are you talking about” He whispered, his jaw clenched. “But I need you to be honest with me”

Aziraphale believed he was trying, and believed his attempt to befriend him so far had been genuine, but he did not know how much would he accept.

“What do you want to know, Gabriel?” He said, scared

“Did you and the demon Crowley switch places? Is that why… hellfire, and holy water did not work?”

Aziraphale nodded barely imperceptibly. Gabriel stood up brusquely.

“Gabriel?” The angel asked with what little voice he could find. When Gabriel turned to look at him, his deep purple eyes were glowing ominously. “Where are you going?”

“I need to process this”

“Gabriel, wait, please…!” Aziraphale did not kneel, but he bowed his back drastically low. “I know I’m not in any position to ask for anything, but… Don’t harm Crowley…”

Gabriel stopped, but didn’t turn; and after a moment walked out.

* * *

Crowley had to know.

Aziraphale did not want to tell him, but he didn’t want Crowley finding it out the bad way. But he couldn’t do it.

He was aware of Crowley’s sleeping habits, and no, he didn’t wish for the demon to sleep a whole century away. It had been lonely enough the first time.

But, well, he could hope for a few weeks. Or months. Yes, two or three months until he worked out how to bring up the whole Gabriel topic

He had no such luck. Only two weeks after his last encounter with the archangel, which he spent worrying and burying himself in old books and ignoring Crowley’s calls that grew more insistent with every passing day, the demon barged into the bookshop, not giving Aziraphale time to switch the sign to “closed”.

“How much time do you plan on ignoring me?” Strutting inside, Crowley went on rambling, not having noticed the desolate look on Aziraphale’s face “At the _very least_ tell me why! If you’re mad because of what I said about your book, well I’m sorry but I still think it’s the most boring- oof!“

With two long strides, Aziraphale all but crashed against the demon.

“Oh- oh dear…” Aziraphale hid his face against Crowley’s collar and clinged to the back of his jacket, holding their bodies as close as it was physically possible. He wanted to make sure they were here.

He wanted to make sure _he_ was here, in one piece, solid and warm against him. There was nothing he wanted more.

He didn’t know how much longer it would stay this way. He didn’t know what Gabriel meant by “processing” the new information. Was he planning on a new punishment? Did he tell the other authorities, up high and low down?

Aziraphale shivered. He hadn’t allowed himself to think about it, but it was _so real_ now, holding Crowley, and Crowley holding him back. If they came to take them, again... They’d know the trick, so they wouldn’t be taken by surprise. They wouldn’t let them walk out. They would keep them until they figured out how to make them… _disappear_.

Heaven and Hell, coming together once more to terminate them, and this time would be definitive, and Crowley would never know what happened, would never know it was _all Aziraphale’s fault…_

He sobbed and that was the breaking point for Crowley, who had been trying to keep calm for his angel.

“Aziraphale! What _is_ going on?” Softly, Crowley grabbed his shoulders and pulled him back. One of his hands held Aziraphale’s chin up, and for a moment Aziraphale forgot all of his preoccupations: Crowley’s sunglasses were pushed up, and he was entranced by the rich yellow eyes he was staring into.

Crowley looked mesmerized as well, his eyes fixated in Aziraphale’s.

It felt like nothing mattered anymore, not space, not time, only them and their bodies slowly leaning closer. Aziraphale held his breath.

“Angel” Crowley muttered like a prayer, his voice in the verge of breaking. “Angel, I…” It tickled Aziraphale’s lips.

“Gabriel”

Aziraphale blurted, out of the spell, and he witnessed Crowley’s expression switch from puzzlement to sorrow to anger and back to puzzlement; in the short amount of time that took him to gather himself and vocalize:

“Huh?”

“Gabriel _knows_ ”

“Angel, you know that I have no idea what you’re talking about, right?” He tried to play it calm, but he couldn’t help the terror that the mention of Aziraphale’s superior sparked on him.

Aziraphale didn’t have the opportunity to explain.

With flawless timing, the door snapped open, one more time.

“Oh shit” Crowley cursed as Gabriel walked in. Wasting no time, he faced the archangel and spreading out his wings in order to keep Aziraphale out of sight.

Gabriel stopped for a second, during which a surprised expression crossed his face; and then it was gone as he continued nonchalantly walking towards them.

“Very impressive, demon” He said in a plain tone “You can stay if you wish, but I’m not here for you. Let me talk with my brother”

Crowley made a choked sound and Aziraphale emerged from behind the dark feathers.

“I’m here, brother”

Gabriel took a few, hurried steps towards Aziraphale; and Crowley almost intervened again. But Gabriel only held the angel in his arms, awkwardly.

“I’ve been… meditating. As an archangel-“

“The archangel _fucking_ Gabriel” Crowley muttered under his breath. Aziraphale didn’t catch it, and Gabriel only threw a frown at his direction, and kept talking.

“- _I said_ , as an archangel, I’m supposed to look out and protect the almighty creations. I’m supposed to… love.” It was obvious he was having a hard time saying all that “And it looks like I’ve got a lot to learn from you, Aziraphale. I’m…” He struggled for a moment, and finally sighed. “I’m sorry. For a lot of things, but mostly, for letting so much time pass before realizing it. I can see why you wanted to protect… _this_ , even if I don’t fully understand it”

Aziraphale realized there were tears threatening to spill from his eyes, but he couldn’t do anything more than blink and stare at Gabriel.

“What do you mean…?”

“It’s love, isn’t it? The reason you… and Crowley… went against _us_. I don’t know why I didn’t notice before”

Aziraphale missed it, but Gabriel absolutely caught Crowley turning beet red.

“Gabriel, what do you mean?” Aziraphale insisted, flustered. Gabriel squeezed him between his arms and pulled back, a fox-like grin growing on his face.

“I’ll leave it to you to figure it out. And you, demon Crowley…” Gabriel lowered his eyebrows, but didn’t stop grinning. Crowley gulped “You take care of him”

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve had this baby on my drafts forever, and I finally got to finish it!
> 
> I don’t remember the title, but there was a very good fic I read where Aziraphale fell after the events of the show, and he and Gabriel had a few interesting conversations, calling each other "brother". It really stuck with me, and I wanted to do something with that idea! (plus i’m a sucker for.... everyone getting along and working their differences lmao)
> 
> I worried it would read as naive or over symplistic, but I really wanted to write this, and I had a great time, so I hope you liked reading it as well! And I’d really appreciate any kudos or comment you want to leave this way!
> 
> I also have an idea for a sequel, more Crowley/Aziraphale oriented, I just hope I get to work on it and finish it (which is the hardest part of course)
> 
> You can find me as @thinkanamelater on tumblr, and as @bi_lly_shears on twitter! See you around and thanks for reading!


End file.
